Her Constant
by DragonChaos
Summary: [Tifa and Cid] In the wake of a broken relationship, Tifa finds comfort in the man who is her constant. Rated M for Cid's language and some adult situations in the latest chapter. Chapter 4 posted. Please R&R! Sorry for the long wait...blasted school.
1. Her Constant

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic! Don't get your panties all in a bunch about me borrowing the characters and messing around with them either. I'll put 'em back when I'm done with them. Honest.**

**Title: Her Constant**

**By: DragonChaos**

**Summary: In the wake of a broken relationship, Tifa finds comfort in the man who is her constant.**

Observations, Whiskey, and Women:

He'd always observed her from afar, that Tifa Lockheart. He observed her long dark hair, her crimson eyes, her upbeat personality. He also observed that she was totally head over heels in love with a man whose heart belonged to a dead woman. Now, as he sat on his barstool, sipping a glass of whiskey, Cid Highwind observed her as she went about making drinks for her customers. She was wearing a bright smile, a gray tank top, and a pair of tight black pants as she shook a tumbler vigorously, winking at a patron who sat in front of her who was obviously engaging her in a conversation. She was always so animated.

It was a shame that Strife was so fixated on someone who was inanimate.

Well, a shame for _Strife_, anyway.

He'd started frequenting her bar, Seventh Heaven, after it was rebuilt in New Midgar some months after Meteor. When he'd returned to his home in Rocket Town, Cid had expected to find Shera there waiting for him, but instead he found a note that read,

_"My Dearest Captain,_

_Soon after you left for the Crater, I thought about what you said about finding yourself, how you finally knew where you belonged. I was so happy for you…Happy that you were happy. However, I now realize that I don't really know where I belong. I've been living my life for someone else for so long, I'd forgotten what it meant to live for me. _

_Please understand…I need to find myself. I don't blame you or hold any grudges, and Captain, don't you dare go blaming or damning yourself for anything that's happened these past few years. If it's one thing the Planet's recent events have taught me, it's that life's too short to dwell on the misgivings of the past._

_I forgave you a long time ago, so please forgive me now and let me go figure out where I belong._

_Shera_"

Once his initial shock and anger had been drained away by several bottles of booze, he'd realized she had a point. She _had_ been living for someone else. For _him_. More than a little downcast, his hopes of a relationship with her tossed down the drain; he sought solace in his friends' company.

And they were never far from Seventh Heaven. It wasn't uncommon to see Barret Wallace lumbering into the tavern, his loud voice booming greetings towards the boxer barmaid as he took a seat next to Cid. Nor was it uncommon to see Yuffie bounding about energetically and "Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk"ing at the local patrons. The young, hyper ninja really couldn't hold her liquor, but it did nothing to stop her kleptomaniac hands from going about their business while she chattered nonstop about almost nothing.

And if Yuffie was around, it was all but guaranteed that a tall, dark, and looming man with red eyes, ebony hair, and a blood red cloak would be as well. Valentine and Yuffie; the thought still made Highwind shudder. But hey, whatever makes ya happy, right? It wasn't that he disliked Valentine…It's just that…Shit, the guy could turn into monsters, which brings in all kinds of possibilities. Another shudder.

Reeve would even show up when his business with rebuilding New Midgar would allow it. He'd come swaggering in, his dark hair slicked back and pulled into a ponytail, his clean, suave suit without wrinkles, his voice smooth as he spoke with Tifa or someone else he recognized. Cid had to admit, he sort of liked the guy. After all, he wanted to restart the Space Program. For Cid, that officially put Reeve in his book of "cool".

Red would show up from time to time, too, though not as often as the others due to the fact that he didn't imbibe alcohol. He would just come around for social visits. Highwind enjoyed the four-legged wolf-tiger's company, despite appearances. Besides, he was always able to make Tifa smile, and for him, that made it all worth it. Plus, it was kind of hard to _not_ respect the most honorable and intelligent of their group. Even if he was still really easy to tease.

Seventh Heaven, in short, was a hang out for the Heroes of the Planet. And business was booming because of it.

Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of one of them. It helped that the bar mistress was herself a Hero.

Tonight, however, Cid and Tifa were the only Heroes to grace Seventh Heaven with their presence, and he sat at his usual corner at the bar, a cigarette dangling from his lips, nursing his drink and observing the tavern through the smoky haze.

If there was one Hero who didn't frequent the bar, but _should_ do so more often than the others, was Strife.

Boy, did Spike live up to his name. He caused strife in just about all of his former companion's lives. Even Tifa. _Especially_ Tifa.

Cid sighed heavily and took a long drag on his cigarette, then regarded the little stick of nicotine carefully as he held it between his index and middle finger.

He really should probably quit this shit. Oh well. What's an old guy to do? Cid shook his head. He wasn't _that_ old. No matter what that little annoying ninja tried to tell him.

Tifa's laughter flitted to him over the din of the noisy patrons. It was a beautiful sound, one he'd grown accustomed to hearing these past few months.

Their friendship required few words. Occasionally she'd look over at him with her soulful garnet eyes and smile, as if she knew at right that second, he needed a smile to brighten his thoughts. He thought she might have been telepathic, sensing whenever his thoughts were turning dark and brooding. Or she might just be a good judge of body language. Whatever it was, it was almost scary.

Cid knew she'd been hurt badly over what had happened between her and Cloud. They had a bit of a rocky relationship before he up and decided he needed to search for the Lifestream…or more particularly, Aeris. That was before construction had been finished on Seventh Heaven.

When Cid had first started coming here, he'd notice how she seemed strained, how she'd stare out of a window, her eyes sad and her expression pained. But then she'd quickly recover and the hurt expression would vanish, and he'd almost think he'd been imagining things. She never really talked about it, at least not with him, although he got tidbits of what happened from Yuffie.

It wasn't long before he decided Tifa needed some sort of constant in her life. Even if that constant was just an old pilot without a ship, sitting in a corner of her bar sipping on a whiskey and pulling drags on a cigarette, she needed it.

It had been almost a year since Strife left. No word of him reached any of the people he used to call "friends". Cid knew he wasn't dead, though. Spiky was too stubborn for that. Over time, Tifa had become more herself again, upbeat, happy-go-lucky, smiling for almost no reason at all. And yet, Cid would still see her get that faraway look. He knew the pain may have lessened over time, but she definitely hadn't forgotten it.

"Care for another drink, Highwind?" Cid looked up, somewhat startled. She was there, poised with a bottle of whiskey, ready to pour it into his glass. He looked down and suddenly realized he hadn't even noticed that his glass was empty.

Like he said…She was almost fuckin' scary.

"Love one, Lockheart." He nudged his glass closer to her, a grin playing over his lips when he saw her smirk at his delayed response. She poured the amber liquid with an elegant grace, her capable hands smoothly corking the bottle back up and spinning it about before deftly placing back on the shelf behind her. He expected her to grin and saunter away, like she always did, but this time, she lingered, her gaze flitting down the line of customers sitting at the bar before it settled on him. She leaned her elbows on the bar for support, her arms folded over one another. "Somethin' on your mind, Teef?"

"Not really," she said slowly. "How're things, Cid?" He took a long drink from his fresh whiskey before he replied.

"Okay, I s'pose," he drawled. She didn't often ask such open-ended questions like that. Something was up. "You?" Her expression was one of schooled indifference. One he saw through almost immediately.

"Not bad, business is good…" She trailed off, and her lower lip was captured by her teeth and she glanced down at her hands, then back up at him. Cid cocked his head slightly, a silent gesture for her to continue. "Can we talk later?" He usually hung around after she closed up shop anyway, so he wondered why in the name of the Planet she felt the need to ask.

"Yeah, sure." He waved his gloved hand as if to gesticulate that he expected to do that anyway, but apparently she took it as a sign of him waving her off. She pulled back and stood up straight, gave him a somewhat nervous smile, and walked back to refresh the drinks of some rowdy customers who were banging their mugs on their table. He watched her retreating form in bewilderment, as if staring at her back (or backside if he was really being honest with himself) would help him understand what was going on with her.

Cid Highwind sighed again and adjusted his goggles.

"Women."

Eavesdropping, Smoke, and Scruffy Chins:

As she flipped the deadbolt and turned off the neon sign that read "Seventh Heaven", Tifa noticed her hand was shaking. Briefly, she wondered why. And then it came back to her, the conversation she had overheard from that rowdy bunch that just kept getting rowdier as the hours had lingered on.

_"I saw that guy with the spiky blonde hair and huge sword walkin' through Kalm the other day," the larger man related to his smaller, pudgier companion._

_ "Oh! You mean that Mr. Strife?" The look of eager drunken excitement on the man's chubby face normally would have made Tifa laugh if the subject hadn't struck such a nerve; instead it made her stand there stupidly holding a tankard while the larger man finished his story._

_ "Yeah, that's the guy! I didn't say nothin' to 'im since he seemed like he was goin' somewhere with a purpose, if ya know what I mean," he nudged the smaller man congenially in the ribs. "He looked like he was on some sorta mission." _

_ After that, Tifa stopped listening to them. She let out a sigh of relief when Cid Highwind showed up a few minutes later, at his usual time, taking his usual seat and ordering his usual drink. She was insane to fear that he would suddenly pick tonight to break his clockwork habit of coming to Seventh Heaven, and she instantly berated herself for even thinking such a silly thought._

Speaking of Cid Highwind…

He was regarding her with his cool blue gaze, a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his lips, watching her lock and close up shop for the night. Usually if someone stared at her like that, Tifa felt uncomfortable, like she was being appraised, judged. But there was something…so unobtrusive about the pilot that she didn't feel that familiar pinprick of the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. He was wearing his usual faded blue pilot jacket with many pockets over a stained, old, used-to-be white long sleeve shirt, and dark gray cargo pants. Old Smokey, as she liked to call him, didn't talk to her much during business hours. Their conversations were usually reserved for when the last drunk had finally gone home. Even if they didn't talk much then, either, she still found his presence comforting.

If it's one thing Tifa Lockheart hated, it was being alone.

She'd heard from Barret about what had happened between Cid and Shera. Or rather, what didn't happen. She felt sorry for him, but she also understood Shera's need to leave. When Tifa first met Cid back when they originally asked to borrow the Tiny Bronco, she'd been appalled by the way he treated her. He may have changed over the past few years for the better, but he was still as foul-mouthed and cynical as ever.

She was certain they loved each other, but there seemed to be a lack of respect, self-respect, to be more specific. Both sides thought they didn't deserve the other. She could also see how Shera would be confused about herself after giving up so much for someone else. There comes a time in someone's life when they have to live for _themselves_, and Tifa knew that Cid had begrudgingly accepted that.

Tifa also knew that Highwind was a proud man and wouldn't accept her pity. So instead of giving him her sympathy verbally, she gave it to him through smiles and little gestures of friendship.

They'd never really been that close when they'd been trying to save the Planet from Sephiroth, never really talking or spending extra time with each other. She originally thought that he was crass, rude, foul-mouthed, and grumpy.

Who was she kidding? She still thought of him that way.

Now, however, her perspective was different. He'd been there for her in his own way, never really leaving, never really questioning her about anything. That's what she appreciated about him most. He didn't question her about what happened with Cloud.

She shuddered involuntarily at the thought of the begotten ex-SOLDIER.

She'd played the scene over and over in her mind so many times, it was almost like it didn't happen, like it was a scene from some movie.

_"Tifa, I'm sorry, but…" Cloud ran a hand through his spiky yellow hair, making it stand up even more, if that was possible._

_ "But?" Tifa questioned, though she had a pretty good idea where this was going._

_ "I never wanted to hurt you Tifa…"_

_ "But here you are, doing it anyway," she said bitterly, tears glistening in her garnet eyes. "I still don't understand why you have to leave…"_

_ "I just have to, Tifa. It's something I gotta do. I…have to go to the Promised Land."_

_ "You're not going to the Promised Land! You're going to _her_!" The tears were flowing freely now, and he moved to comfort her, only to have her shove him backwards, towards the door. "NO! Don't you _dare_ touch me! Just get out! Go back to your precious Aeris!" She was losing control, her need to pummel something, anything, was rising. He seemed to realize that if he didn't leave soon, _he _would be the one getting pummeled. "Get out!" She raised her arm and pointed out to the darkness beyond the open door._

_ "I'm sorry, Tifa." And with that, he was gone._

She finished putting some chairs upside-down on the tables and walked over to a padded booth, gesturing for Highwind to join her. He nodded, put out his cigarette, scrunching its ashes in an ashtray, and sauntered over, his boots clomping heavily on the wooden floor. He slid into the seat across from her and leaned his back up against the wall, putting his long legs up on the seat and crossing them at the ankles. He folded his lean, muscled arms across his chest and looked at her, an unspoken question in his eyes.

It's funny; they say he's not that patient. Tifa realized a while ago that he is _very_ patient, as long as he knows that he'll eventually get something for his patience.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes while she worked up the courage to bring up the subject of a completely different blonde. She stared at her hands while she wrenched them in her lap, slowly cracking her knuckles one by one.

"I got news about Cloud today," she said suddenly, not looking up from her hands. If she had, she would have seen Cid's surprised expression, his face resembling a goldfish's.

"Oh?" Was all he said.

"Yeah…" Silence. Tifa contemplated just telling him what she had heard and not saying anything more, but talking with Cid was easy, even with a subject as sore as this one. He wasn't one to judge a person by what they said, but more on how they acted. It was a quality she admired in him.

"O…kay…" He brought her back to the conversation they…weren't…having. She drew a deep breath, gathering her strength.

"Apparently, from what I heard tonight, he was in Kalm a few days ago." She finally looked up at him and discovered his ice blue eyes, now resembling dark blue pools in the dim lights of the tavern, regarding her with keen interest.

"It was nice of him to stop by and say hi, wasn't it?" Cid said with a snort. Funny, those were her thoughts exactly.

"Yup." She looked out the window into the darkened world beyond, her gaze not really settling on anything. She just stared out into the blackness. "You would think he would at least…" Her voice trembled slightly and she caught her lower lip between her teeth, fighting to keep her emotions under control. Her gaze dropped once again to her hands, trying to hide the tears that were starting to form.

"You'd think that, wouldn't ya?" He knew what she was trying to say and saved her from having to finish her thought. She smiled gratefully at him, if only briefly, bringing her hands up to rest on the table. "When are you…" She heard him sigh heavily, his searching gaze never leaving her face. "When are you gonna stop lettin' that goddamn spiky-haired punk get to ya like that, Teef?" She visibly tensed at his words, her teeth worrying her lower lip to the point of it almost bleeding. That was Highwind for you, direct and to the point. He adjusted his goggles before his arm returned to its former position on his chest. "I mean, honestly? The guy's a fuckin' whack-job if he walked away from…someone like you."

"He is NOT a whack-job." Now it was her turn to fold her arms over her chest as her crimson eyes burned into his icy ones. "He's just…finding himself." Cid laughed abruptly, but stopped suddenly as he twisted himself in the seat so he faced her directly, leaning on his arms so he could put his face closer to her.

"Finding himself?" His tone was incredulous. "Shit. Seems that's what everyone's doin' these days. Maybe Spike should form some sorta fuckin' club," he huffed, his tone turned bitter. He pulled back, leaning heavily against the seat. "He's not really tryin' to 'find himself' anyway, Lockheart, he's tryin' to find…somethin' else." Or _someone_ else she heard him add silently. Tears suddenly blurred her vision again, threatening to fall. "Look," his tone was softer, gentler. "Teef, people have their reason for leavin', but even if it's a good one, it still hurts. The rejection still fuckin' hurts." She heard the pain in his voice, his sorrow, his guilt, his sadness, and she knew he was speaking of Shera. Tifa leaned forward a little and reached across the table, taking one of his rough, calloused hands in hers. She nodded in silent understanding and encouragement, something they could both use right now.

A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek. Before she could move to wipe it away, she felt the pad of his thumb gently soothe it away. She looked up at him, his eyes full of concern for her, full of _caring_. They stared at each other for a few minutes, his hand lingering near her face, his knuckles lightly brushing her cheek before coming to rest on top of her free hand.

He was the first to break the spell that seemed to have them so enraptured.

"It's…really late, I probably should go…" He pulled his hands back, but not before giving hers a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah," she said quietly. Her hands felt cold at the sudden loss of contact. She felt rather than saw him get out of the booth, and he gathered up his things from the bar before heading for the door. "Cid…" She called out and he stopped, turning to look at her. She slid out of the booth herself and walked towards him, stopping directly in front of him. "I'm sorry I dumped all that on you," she whispered as she stared at her feet. She felt his finger come up gently under her chin and guide her face so she was looking directly up at him.

"There's absolutely _no _damn reason to apologize ta me," he told her, his voice gentle but firm. "Besides, a wise person once told me that life's too short to dwell on the misgivings of the past." He let go of her chin and nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Shit, Tifa, I don't wantcha ever feelin' guilty 'bout talkin' to me." He paused and let his words hang in the air for a second or two. "I wantcha to know ya can always talk to me, Tif." More tears made their way down her cheeks and she felt his strong arms go around her as he pulled her into a warm embrace.

He smelled of cigarettes. And of his workshop; oil, gasoline, tools, metal.

He smelled like comfort.

She nuzzled his shoulder and he dropped his head to hers in response, burying his face in her neck. One of Cid's hands gently smoothed her hair against her back while the other grasped her gently around the waist. Suddenly he stopped himself and cleared his throat.

"All right," he said as he pulled back and held her at arm's length. "G'night Tifa." He leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead, lingering there for a second or two longer than necessary. Tifa leaned into the contact, but only briefly. He pulled back again and stared down at her, his eyes darkening somewhat, and she could almost see the wheels turning behind them.

He was considering something.

Whatever he was contemplating, she didn't give him time to decide. She leaned in and swiftly placed her lips on his, gently and tenderly at first. When he got over his initial shock at her action, Cid responded, his lips molding to hers, his tongue gently poking out to caress her lips.

He tasted like whiskey and smoke. His whiskers were rough against her chin and lips. It was enough to make her head spin and send little shockwaves of pleasure down her spine. She liked this, every bit of it.

She angled her head so they could deepen the kiss, her arms winding around his neck, her hands playing with the short pale blonde hairs at his nape. She felt him gasp slightly against her lips, and his arms hugged her closer to him, his hands massaging her back, starting to roam.

She pulled back, a little out of breath, and looked up at him, her eyes like smoldering embers. Cid's sky blue eyes were tinted with want and lust and…_caring_. She smiled shyly at him, and he grinned back.

"That was…Shit, that was…unexpected," he fumbled for the words, his low timbre making her stomach do flip-flops.

"Yeah…" She whispered back. Cid brought his hand up to stroke her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her soft skin. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, but only a quick, tender little peck, before disentangling himself from her entirely. "'Night, Highwind," she said as she grinned ruefully at him.

His only response was to smile back at her before he opened the door and walked out, the heavy clomping of boots the only sign of his retreat.

Tifa brought her fingers to her lips and thought back to the sweet pressure that had been there just moments before.

And for the first time in months, her final thoughts before she went to sleep were of a different blonde.

The man who had been her constant.


	2. Her Reason

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic! Don't get your panties all in a bunch about me borrowing the characters and messing around with them either. I'll put 'em back when I'm done with them. Honest.**

**Title: Her Constant**

**Author: DragonChaos**

**Feedback: Sure!**

**Chapter Summary: Tifa gets a small surprise from Reeve. **

**Chapter 2: Her Reason**

**Good things come in small packages:**

Tifa looked down at the baby nestled safely in her arms, his big baby-gray eyes gazing up at her in wonder. Her heart did a weird little flutter at the sight of this child, and she was certain that it was love at first sight. She smoothed back his little wisps of light hair and he cooed at her.

How could _anyone_ be so heartless as to abandon one so young and helpless?

Reeve stood there watching her reaction to the child he had just given her. He saw her emotions range from worried to loving to angry in about five seconds, and he could guess where her thoughts lay.

"Someone left him on the doorstep of one of my employees," he explained. "Unfortunately, that employee is unmarried and only seventeen, and he _really _doesn't know how to handle a baby." Tifa looked up at him with an expectant expression, but only briefly before her gaze returned to the baby boy's face. "He brought him to the office in the hopes of finding someone to take care of him…" Reeve trailed off, his request remaining unspoken.

"Someone to take care of him…" Tifa echoed softly. The baby gurgled at the sound of her voice and Reeve nodded, knowing that Tifa was no fool. He tore his gaze from the motherly spectacle before him and looked around at her bar, Seventh Heaven. It was the neatest, cleanest tavern he'd ever seen; the wood on the floors shone with polish, the countertops free of spills, tables spotless. One would never guess that it was filled to the brim with rowdy and noisy customers almost every single night. "What's his name?" Her voice drew him back from his musings. He looked back at her and found her staring at him with her garnet eyes.

"Don't know," Reeve replied, shrugging. "The kid that brought him in said nothing in that regard, and all that came with him was that basket." He nodded to the basket on the table next to Tifa. "There was no note, no notation of any kind. Up 'til now, people have just been calling him Baby Gray." Tifa wrinkled her nose at the name.

"Guess I'll have to figure something out, then," she said without looking at Reeve.

"Then you'll…"

"Yes, I will," she cut him off with a smile. He smiled gratefully back.

"Great!" Reeve stroked the baby's cheek with his thumb and then tickled his tiny hand, the little fingers curling around his larger one reflexively. "I'll have my secretary run the paperwork and make it an official adoption," he added quietly. She nodded and smiled again. "You'll make a great mother, Tifa." Her smile got even wider; her crimson eyes alight with twinkles. "I'll send over some of the normal baby stuff; crib, toys, food, diapers, blankets…" She nodded. "Should all be here in about an hour. Here's his bottle." He handed the bottle to her, already filled with milk.

"Thanks Reeve," Tifa said earnestly.

"No, no, thank _you_, Tifa," he said as he patted her on the shoulder. His gaze dropped once more to the tiny bundle. "Bye, bye little guy." He patted the baby on the head and grinned. "See you later, Tifa. Thanks again. I owe you one." He walked towards the door.

"Bye, Reeve." He waved at her once and was gone, leaving Tifa alone with this new and wholly unexpected visitor.

Well, not visitor anymore. He was here to stay.

**Assumptions, Slip-Ups, and Cribs:**

Cid Highwind stopped suddenly, startled by the lack of light coming from his favorite bar. The neon sign that read "Seventh Heaven" wasn't lit, and there were no lights coming from the interior. His mind clicked into overdrive immediately, and he feared something bad had happened.

"She _never_ closes on a weekend…" Cid muttered to himself, his lips barely moving around the cigarette that rested there. Since she lived above the bar, he didn't have to walk much farther to reach her little apartment. The set of stairs on the side of the building led up to her 'front door,' and he took each step four at a time, his long, powerful legs jumping the distance easily.

Maybe she was just sick. No, that couldn't be it…She was fine the night before…

The night before, when she had kissed him.

No, scratch that. They'd kissed _each other_.

He took a deep breath and held it as he knocked hesitantly on her door. He heard movement inside, and he released his breath in a whoosh. The door swung open revealing Tifa Lockheart, dressed in faded blue jeans and a black tee shirt, holding a small blue bundle. She looked somewhat stunned to see him, but that instantly faded away into a small, shy smile, her face framed by her ebony hair. Good Gods, she was beautiful when she smiled like that.

"Hey, Cid," she said. He grinned stupidly at her in response, his mind ceasing to be able to form words, let alone speak them. Her smile widened in amusement. "What's up?"

"Well, um…" Cid rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand. "You're closed." He gestured vaguely to the building, and she took a moment to grasp what on the Planet he was talking about. Her mouth formed an 'O' when she understood.

"Yes, well, I needed time with Max," she said simply, as if that explained it all. He frowned at her, feeling crestfallen. A guy? Was Tifa dating some guy and didn't tell him? Well, it's not like there was any _reason_ for her to tell him…It's not like that kiss last night meant anything…

Except for the fact that it was the reason he'd been smiling like an idiot all day. He took one last long drag on his cigarette before tossing it onto the wooden platform and grinding it into the planks.

"Max, huh?" He couldn't quite hide the bit of jealousy that found its way into his voice.

"Yeah, would you like to meet him?" Tifa asked innocently. He looked at her, unsure of what to make of her expression.

He didn't think he could handle _this_ rejection. His stomach twisted into knots as he steeled his resolve.

"Sure…" He ground out between clenched teeth.

Suddenly, there was a bundle being pressed against his torso. His arms came up automatically to cradle the bundle, and he blinked stupidly at it for a second, his confusion complete.

The bundle blinked back at him. And it cooed. Little hands reached up towards him, fingers flexing and curling into little fists. The realization hit Cid like he'd just slammed into the side of a mountain in the Tiny Bronco.

"This…is Max?" He asked as he shifted the baby, holding it with one arm so he could use his free hand to touch the child's face. One little hand grabbed a hold of his gloved pinky and squeezed.

"This is Max," she said with a grin. "Max Lockheart, meet Cid Highwind."

"Lockheart?" He eyes snapped to hers, confusion evident in his voice.

"Well, he will be a in a few days once the adoption papers go through," she explained. He blinked at her a few times while he digested this bit of information, his gaze inexorably drawn again to the infant. "Reeve brought him to me…He was abandoned by his parents." His brow furrowed and his lips pressed together to form a grim line at her words. His expression eased, however, when the small infant gurgled at him.

"Won't it be…hard by yourself?" Cid asked hesitantly.

"Reeve said he's gonna help me out," she told him as she gently scooped Max out of Cid's arms. "He'll be sending supplies and what not over…Speaking of which, they should be here soon." She started to head back inside, but Cid didn't follow. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, unsure of what his next course of action should be. She rounded a corner, but stopped, turning halfway to regard him quizzically. "Um…Would you like to help? There's gonna be some stuff that needs setting up and I'm not sure how efficient I'll be putting a crib together while I'm trying to take care of Max…"

"Love to help, Lockheart," he spoke as he strode into her apartment. She gave him a grateful smile and walked out of sight, down the hallway to what he assumed was her bedroom.

It was a nice little abode, comfortable and cozy. The small living room he had just walked into had a large dark red couch and a television. The floors were wooden, the same as the bar that lay beneath. The kitchen adjacent to the living room was built similarly to the bar, with wooden countertops and cabinets with glass windows so one could see the contents. Cid drank in the sights. He'd never been inside her home before.

He noticed that not only was the décor pleasant, but its scent was, too. It smelt of lilacs and lavender, much like its owner.

Very pleasant indeed.

Cid shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels and toes, enjoying himself while he waited for Tifa to return.

And return she did, moments later, the baby absent from her arms.

"Max was getting tired, so I made him a makeshift crib on my bed," she explained when she saw his questioning gaze. He nodded in understanding.

"Nice place you got here," he told her. She blushed prettily, her cheeks tinged with pink and her neck turned a delicate shade of crimson.

"Thanks," she replied smiling. "Luckily, it's got two bedrooms since it was originally built for me and Cl…" Her smile faltered a bit. "Would you like something to drink?" She said quickly. "I have a full bar up here, and I know you wanted to go to Seventh Heaven tonight…"

"Nah, you don't have ta make me anything, Teef," he interrupted as he waved his hand in the air. "I didn't really come here to drink, anyways…" He paused. Oops, wasn't supposed to tell her that. "I mean, it'd feel weird coming up to your house just to have you be a bartender for me…" Cid added hastily, waving his hand in the air again as though trying to get rid of the words that hung there. He grinned nervously at her and scratched the back of his neck. She wordlessly went into the kitchen and got out a tumbler. "Hey, I said I don't want…"

"It's for me," she cut him off. She made herself a Bloody Mary and the smell of tomato juice wafted over to Cid and he wrinkled his nose. He'd never really been a fan of tomatoes. He decided to sit on the couch instead of standing there like an idiot with his hands jammed into his pockets. He listened as Tifa bustled around in the kitchen for a few more minutes before reaching for the remote.

It was weird how this felt almost natural. It felt almost right. Almost. It would feel more right if he could just shake the weird anxious feeling that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his stomach.

He turned the T.V. on and turned the volume down low so it wouldn't wake up Max. He felt the couch shift as Tifa sat down beside him, tucking her toned legs underneath herself and setting her glass on the little coffee table in front of them.

"Here," she offered him a mug of steaming liquid, and he instantly recognized the scent of chamomile tea. "Thought you might like some." He got caught up in her wine-colored eyes for a moment, mesmerized by the way the light from the television bounced and reflected off of them. He mentally shook himself and took the mug from her, offering her a lopsided grin.

"Thanks, Tif."

"No problem." She grabbed her Bloody Mary and drank deeply, finishing it off in a few swallows. He watched her, impressed because he knew how strong she made her drinks. She put down her empty glass and looked at him, tomato juice still remaining on her upper lip. The urge to kiss her and taste what was left of her drink on her lips rose up in him.

Hell, even if her lips were tomato flavored, it'd be worth it.

Before he could make a move, however, she wiped the leftovers away with the back of her hand.

Damn.

"So Smokestack, if you didn't come here to go to the bar, what_ did_ you come here for?"

Double Damn.

He'd been hoping she hadn't heard that. He silently shook his head at himself. Duh, of course she's gonna notice a slip up like that. She's sharp as a fuckin' tack.

"Well, I…Uh…" Cid groped for the words, but couldn't find them. He was saved by a sharp rap on the door. Tifa immediately got up to answer and Cid threw a silent 'thank-you' to whichever of the Gods had just saved him. He stood up to go see if there was anything he could do to help.

"Here you go, Miss Lockheart," a man dressed in a ShinRa uniform said as he handed her a box full of baby things. "There's more in the truck, so I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Tifa returned as she started to move back down the hallway.

"I'll help you get the rest of the stuff," Cid told the delivery man as he headed down the stairs. The man gave him a polite nod and together they unloaded the truck. Between the three of them, they managed to unload a box of food, clothes, a high chair, a crib, and a box of baby toys and things like extra bottles and pacifiers in a matter of minutes. The ShinRa man took his leave and drove away, leaving Cid and Tifa to unpack it all. The only things in the second bedroom were the boxes of items for Max, a bookshelf, and a bed, the latter two being the only things that Cloud hadn't taken with him when he left.

With all of the commotion, Max woke up and started crying.

"Can you put the crib together while I go take care of him?" Tifa asked when she heard the little boy's cries.

"Yeah, sure," he replied. She shot him a grateful look before leaving the room, and a few moments later the crying stopped. He could hear Tifa humming some tune to the little tyke, and it sounded familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. He shrugged and adjusted his goggles, setting himself to work on the crib.

**Theories, Lethal Weapons, and Snuggles:**

Tifa knew Cid was being nice, hanging around and helping, but she couldn't help the nagging fear that once he left tonight, he wouldn't come back. She had enough baggage already as it was and she figured the last thing Cid wanted to deal with was a baby. Judging by how quiet he'd been in the past couple of hours and the way he'd reacted when she introduced him about Max, she felt her assumption to be right.

She was saddened by this thought, but at the same time, she knew this baby needed her, and if need be, she would put her love life on hold. She nearly laughed out loud at the thought. Love life…Ha! She'd never had a love life. Between AVALANCHE and fighting Sephiroth, Tifa hadn't had the time. The closest she'd ever come to having a serious relationship was with Cloud and even then they'd never really done more than make out while drunk.

Tifa Lockheart, the barmaid beauty, the apple of many a man's eye, a virgin at the age of twenty-two.

She sighed and glanced down at the baby who currently was drinking greedily from his bottle of warm milk. She giggled at his satiated expression, his eyelids drooping in satisfaction.

If only she could know what it was to feel what Max felt.

Her thoughts returned to the man who was hard at work in her second bedroom, a smile playing on her lips when she heard a string of curses emanate from the room. Most women would cringe upon hearing some of the words that came out of Cid's mouth, but not Tifa. She appreciated the way he expressed himself; no holds barred, tell it like it is sort of attitude. She also appreciated the way he'd refrained from smoking in her house without even her having to ask him. She'd never had this sort of silent understanding with anyone, not even with Cloud.

Tifa figured that was because Cloud was always so clammed up, never really opening up to anyone, even after Sephiroth was destroyed and Meteor repelled. Cid was the exact opposite, and there was something very artless in his manner of expressing himself. He had nothing to hide, and she knew exactly where she stood with him.

Or so she thought. Well, she was certain that sooner or later, Cid would tell her what was on his mind. She dreaded that moment, wishing that instead he would just stay here, in her house. She liked him here in her home. It was one thing to have him visit and chat with her in the bar, but this felt so much more…intimate. Tifa let out a long sigh.

"You okay?" The low timbre washed over her and soothed her, and she turned to look at its source. Cid stood there leaning against the doorway to her bedroom, his hands in his pockets, regarding her with concern in his light blue eyes.

"I'm fine," she replied, schooling a smile onto her face. She looked down to avoid his gaze under the pretense of gazing at Max. "How's it going in there?"

"Well, the crib was a bit of a bitch, but everything's all set up now," he informed her and she looked back up at him.

"Thanks for all your help, Cid." She watched as he pushed himself off the doorframe and came closer to her, stopping just in front of her and taking off a glove so he could touch the baby without the rough leather material. His close proximity was enough to send little shivers down her spine.

Stop it, Lockheart. He's just here to say goodbye to you and then walk out of your life forever.

"No problem," he said softly as he smoothed back the soft wispy hairs on the top of Max's head. "You sure you're okay? I mean, this whole baby thing is a big deal and all…you sure you can handle it by yourself?" His voice had the slightest tremor, hardly detectable except by those who knew him well enough to hear it.

He's trying to convince you not to do this, Tifa told herself. He wants you to not do this.

Her angered flared up instantly.

"Of course I can handle it, Highwind, what makes you think I can't?" Tifa demanded, her tone harsh. He didn't flinch at her words, however, and instead kept his blue gaze on the baby in her arms. Without responding he took the baby out of her arms and held him to his chest, holding the bottle upright while the baby finished off its contents.

"I wasn't tryin' to say anything against you, Teef," he told her gently. "I guess I…I guess…" He paused, trying to grasp the words he needed to say, still refusing to meet her gaze.

Here it comes, the bit where he says goodbye.

"I guess I was trying to offer you help…if you needed it." Tifa stared at him, not believing her ears.

"Help?" She echoed meekly.

"Yeah, I mean, you'll need someone to watch him when you're running the bar, right?" He looked up finally; hope shimmering in his azure eyes. Hope…

"Yeah, I will," Tifa admitted. "You mean you'll…I mean, I thought…" She fumbled, not sure what to say to his proposition. He wanted to stick around?

"You thought what, T?" Cid prompted.

"Well, the way you acted earlier, I thought you didn't like Max…"

"Oh, that…Well, I thought you were telling me you had a boyfriend or something. Really scared the shit outta me." Cid admitted and he shrugged one shoulder, careful not to disturb the baby now asleep in Cid's arms. Silently, he walked out of the room and took Max to his new bedroom. Tifa followed him wordlessly, still reeling from her revelation.

He wants to stay…

She walked into the second bedroom, pleased by the sight that awaited her there. The new crib stood in the middle of the room, its white banisters bright and cheerful. A lamp was perched on a table nearby, a rocking chair placed next it with a cozy-looking blanket draped over the back. Next to the lamp on the table were a stacked a few children's books. A little wooden toy box sat in the opposite, a rug placed in front of it so Max would have somewhere soft to play. The bookshelf stood next to that, full of things like diaper packages and more books, and a changing table was placed next to that.

It was the perfect little setting. Granted, it needed some decorating, but that would come in time.

Quietly and gently, Cid placed the infant into his new crib as Tifa watched from the doorway, her arms folded over her chest. He stroked the infants head and gave Max's cheek an affectionate tender pinch before turning away and joining her in the doorway, turning to admire his handiwork.

"I set up the high chair in the kitchen, too," he explained, his gruff voice barely above a whisper. "Is it all right?" He gestured as if to encompass the whole room. Cid felt a gentle pressure on his shoulder and he turned towards her. "I mean, you can rearrange it if you want…" She silenced him quickly by placing her lips on his, her hands on either side of his face, his words lost in her mouth.

There was no cigarette or whiskey taste this time, just _him_. And a trace of chamomile tea. Tifa immediately deepened the kiss, her tongue seeking his, and she felt a rush of pleasure when he responded by stroking her tongue with his. She felt his hand come up to caress her neck and she pulled away slightly, backing herself away slowly, refusing to meet his gaze. Her legs shook as she gazed at his lips, shimmering with moisture from their kiss in the faint lamplight.

"I'm sorry…" She said, her voice trembling. "I just…I meant to say…Thank you." Tifa suddenly found herself pinned between the doorframe and Cid as he grabbed her shoulders and held her there, kissing her soundly, hot and wet, lightly nipping at her lower lip with his teeth. Her hands came up to his and she intertwined their fingers and she vaguely realized that Cid was still wearing one rough leather glove. He growled against her lips and wound his arms around her waist without breaking the kiss, pressing her against him fully. Her arms encircled his neck and Tifa felt time stop.

Tifa's blood thundered in her ears and she could feel the pounding of Cid's heart against her breasts, which now seemed permanently molded to his chest. He loosened his grip slightly and released her lips, gasping for breath and immediately burying his face in the crook of her neck.

"Sorry…" He murmured, his voice muffled in her shoulder. "Got a little…carried away…" She hugged him to her and nodded against his shoulder, too lost in him to form words.

When they'd both calmed down considerably, they pulled away from each other, their gazes locked, fire red meeting ice blue.

"You really want to stay?" Tifa asked, her voice small and quiet.

"Stay?" His confusion was evident in his expression.

"Yeah," she answered. "I thought earlier that…that you were going to leave…and not come back again." His eyes instantly softened at her words and he drew her to him again, hugging her close and kissing her neck.

"Why the hell would I do something stupid like that?"

"I dunno…I thought you would…want to leave…"

"What, leave like Cloud did?" He held her at arm's length so he could look directly at her. "Let's get one thing crystal fuckin' clear here, Teef." Tifa could swear his eyes just flashed with…some unnamable primal emotion. "I ain't Cloud. And I sure as _hell_ ain't gonna leave when you need…someone." She thought he'd almost said 'when you need me'. "You got it?" He wasn't frightening, nor was he imposing, but he was definitely pissed off.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice strong and unflinching as she took the brunt of his anger head on. She knew he wasn't really angry at her, but at Cloud for what he'd done. The lines on his face eased again and he looked over at the crib and then down at his feet.

"So, um, what's…goin' on here? Between us?" He suddenly looked scared and unsure of himself, something Tifa had never seen on Cid's face before. He was always so confident and sure, not really caring what anyone thinks. Except now…Now he was asking her for her thoughts, her feelings. And he _cared_.

"I don't really know what's going on," Tifa admitted. "But I like it. A lot." She smiled up at him and he gave her a relieved half-smile.

"Me too. I mean I like this…us…thing." He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck again and looked over at the clock on the wall. "Holy shit it's three in the morning." His gaze returned to her. "Um…I probably…should…"

"You want to stay here tonight?" Tifa asked suddenly, saying the words before her brain could stop them. "I'd worry about you if you left this late...or early…whatever. I'd worry." He searched her eyes and apparently found what they were looking for, because he nodded.

"Alright, I'll stay. Ya had to twist my arm, but I'll stay," he winked at her and she playfully punched him in the arm. "Watch it woman!" He exclaimed as he held his shoulder in mock pain. "Those are fist of _steel_ you've got…lethal weapons if ya ask me." She giggled at his silly joke and kissed him, her lips lingering for a few moments on his. "_Those_ are lethal weapons, too." He said as he ran his thumb over her lips, his gruff voice low and husky. He cleared his throat. "So, where d'ya want me to sleep?" She heard that slight tremor in his voice again.

Instead of giving him a straight answer, she took his hand and led him to her bedroom. Tifa smiled when she saw his big goofy grin and shook her head.

Men.

She pulled back the covers and got into bed, scooting over so there was enough room for Cid. He sat down on the edge and proceeded to remove his jacket, goggles, and boots before sliding under the covers and spooning up against her back, his arms enfolding Tifa's body and his breath warm against her neck as he nuzzled her nape.

"Goodnight, Tifa." He kissed her shoulder and her neck, then snuggled up against so he could get more comfortable.

"Goodnight, Cid." She smiled into the darkness.

He gave her such a good reason to smile.


	3. Her Surprises

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic! Don't get your panties all in a bunch about me borrowing the characters and messing around with them either. I'll put 'em back when I'm done with them. Honest.**

**Title: Her Constant**

**Author: DragonChaos**

**Feedback: Sure! And thank you to you reviewers who encouraged me to write additional chapters. Be sure to review if you want to get more of the story!**

**Chapter Summary: Tifa and Cid figure some 'stuff' out and a certain ninja shows up on Tifa's doorstep. Shit also happens.**

**Chapter 3: Her Surprises**

**Keeping Tifa on Her Toes:**

Cid Highwind awoke in a strange room in a strange bed that smelled…strange. Needless to say, he was bewildered, especially since he was apparently alone. That scent was familiar, though; lilacs and lavender…

Where had he smelled that before…?

Cid snapped his fingers in triumph and sat up quickly, looking around for any sign of Tifa. The clock he spied next to the bed told him it was 9:33 AM and how cold the Tifa's pillow was told him that she had been out of bed for a while. He threw back the blankets, swung his long legs over the edge, and rose up out of bed quickly, heading for the second bedroom turned nursery. He looked in and saw that Tifa and Max were both absent from that room, so he went to the kitchen, spurred on by some barely audible humming.

Cid recognized the voice. What's more, he recognized the song, and not just as the tune that Tifa hummed the night before. Aeris used to hum that song all the time when she got bored or distracted. The notes were soothing but sad, as they brought back memories of the spunky Ancient from Midgar.

He couldn't help but wonder if maybe Tifa had hummed this tune around Cloud…Nah, he didn't want to get into that right now. Way too early in the morning to be doing any sort of psychoanalysis on someone who used to believe they were a puppet.

He hadn't even had a cup of tea yet, dammit.

Pausing at the entryway of the kitchen, he discovered the source of the melody. Cid watched as Tifa went about making some tea and preparing a bottle of milk whilst holding Max on her hip. The way she moved gracefully about, her body movements, sure and confident without any sort of hesitation, held Cid mesmerized. The little baby in her arms seemed to be in similar state, as he was regarding her in wide-eyed curiosity, seemingly hypnotized by the sound of her voice while she hummed to him.

After a few moments of staring at her in this manner, she finally stopped humming and poured a cup of tea. She took the mug and sipped it while she looked out the window into the gray morning sky.

"Sleep well?" Tifa asked without even having given any sign that she knew he was there. He realized she'd known he'd been standing there watching her, and Cid's ears suddenly felt hot. He reached up to adjust his goggles, but upon discovering he hadn't put them back on his head yet, Cid settled for running a hand through his short blonde hair.

"Yeah, I did," he replied, his voice rough through the disuse of sleep. He cleared his throat before continuing, "How about you?" He walked over and poured his own mug of tea, pleasantly surprised when he discovered it to be orange spice, one of his favorite flavors. Used to be one of Shera's specialties…

No. He was in _Tifa's_ kitchen now, drinking _Tifa's_ tea. And the woman he was looking at was definitely _not_ wearing a lab coat. Instead, the woman before him was wearing a short red tee shirt and cutoff jean shorts that went down to the tops of her knees.

It seemed no matter what this woman wore, she looked good in _anything_. Cid realized that with all of his musings, he'd failed to catch her answer to his question.

"I'm sorry, what?" She turned halfway and looked at him and Max mimicked her actions, his big gray eyes drawn by his low timbre.

"I slept better than I have in a long time," she said softly, looking back out the window, absently sipping her tea. Max brought a little fist up to his mouth and started gumming his fingers, making little 'gooee' noises. On an impulse, Cid crossed the distance between them in two quick strides and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Good mornin'," Cid told her with a lopsided grin as he patted Max on the head affectionately. Tifa blushed prettily and seemed surprised by the gesture, but happily so, a little smile tugging on the corners of her lips.

"Good morning," she replied. "I need to go down to the bar in about an hour…"

"Why so early?" Cid's voice was tinged with disappointment. So much for spending some quality time together…

"Well, I usually start getting stuff ready for customers around eleven so I can be ready for the lunch crowd," she explained as she handed Max to Cid. "Then I close up at two, take a three hour break, reopen at five, and stay open until midnight during the weekdays, two a.m. on weekends."

"Whew!" Cid shifted Max so he was now balanced on his hip, and he slipped his free arm around Tifa's waist, pulling her close and giving her a squeeze. He reveled in the fact that he was allowed to hold her like this. "You sound like you need to hire some more help or something."

"That's what I've been thinking about all morning," she told him. "But I've never really had to hire anyone before…I've always been able to take care of things myself." Her tone contained a hint of regret.

"Hey, everyone needs a little help every now and then," Cid reassured her. "You can't be in four places at once. Besides, people would probably pay _you_ so they could work at Seventh." Tifa laughed and he waggled his eyebrows at her, which only served to make her laugh harder. Max was thoroughly entertained by the exchange, his little gurgles and coos accompanying Tifa's bout of mirth.

Cid couldn't help but think once again how beautiful she was. Especially when she laughed, and _especially_ when it was because of him.

He leaned in and kissed her soundly without giving it a second thought, cutting off her laughter, her last little giggles lost in his lips. He maneuvered her with his arm that was around her waist so she was facing him enough for full-on contact but still being mindful of the infant that was still balanced on his hip. She pressed herself against him, her arms wrapping around his waist, hands grabbing the material of his white shirt as though she were clinging on for dear life.

It was a gentle kiss that soon turned into a passionate one, a small spark fanned into a blaze of dueling tongues and lips that sought each other desperately. He returned her enthusiasm tenfold, acutely aware of the hand that came up to stroke his neck just under his ear. Cid felt her smile against his lips when he gasped in surprise at the way his body responded to Tifa's touch and a shiver ran down his spine, her slender, dexterous fingers caressing the sensitive skin, the sweet spot he never knew he had.

"Mmm…" Tifa groaned when she pulled back, gazing up at him with glazed garnet eyes. "You're just full of surprises, aren't ya Highwind?" Her skin was flushed, though Cid knew it wasn't from embarrassment this time. He suddenly grinned, wide and foolish.

He apparently had the same affect on her that she had on him. And Tifa's kiss-swollen lips looked absolutely edible.

"What can I say? I like to keep you on your toes," he told her, his tone light. She smiled, her eyes dancing with laughter.

Cid was pretty sure that Tifa had smiled more in the past couple of days than she had in the past several months put together. Warmth bloomed in his chest at the thought.

Could it be possible that a broken-down pilot was able to bring her happiness?

With all his heart, he hoped it was so.

"Why don't ya go take a shower before work while I watch this little guy?" Cid suggested and bounced Max in his arm for emphasis, which instantly made the baby give a little happy squeal at the sudden movement.

"Have you…ever taken care of a baby before, Cid?" Tifa asked, somewhat skeptical. "It's not like working with machines…"

"Hey, I can handle it, have a little faith!" He kissed her on the forehead and then offered her a reassuring grin. "Besides, if anything goes wrong, you're right downstairs, and if need be, we can trade places. I know how to make a few drinks…" She laughed and pushed away from him, heading for the hallway.

"Be out in a bit!" Tifa called over her shoulder before she disappeared. He heard the water start in her shower and decided that the first order of business should be to get the kid some food.

**Sleeping Babies, Fixing Machines, and Stuff:**

About half an hour later, Tifa returned to find both Cid and Max asleep on the couch; Cid had one leg propped up on her coffee table and one arm held Max, the nearly empty bottle of milk on the floor at the base of the couch. Max's expression was priceless; his little thumb was stuck between his little pursed lips, and if Tifa didn't know any better, she would have thought that he was grinning in his sleep. She went back to her room and grabbed a camera. She just couldn't pass up this photographic opportunity. She snapped the photo and one of Cid's blue eyes cracked open at the sound to regard her curiously.

"Hey," he said softly. "Whatcha doin'?" He nodded towards the camera in her hands with a wry grin, both eyes now open.

"For posterity's sake," she told him, her voice just above a whisper and a big smile on her face. She put the camera down and moved closer, standing over him and gazing at him with adoration. "I'm headed to work…" Tifa bent over and kissed him on the forehead. She then proceeded to do the same thing to Max, who made a little 'huff' sound at the contact and curled his little fingers tighter into fists. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"See ya." Cid closed his eyes again and was asleep almost instantly, a light snore emanating from him. She shook her head and smiled, admiring the way his face looked when he was sleeping, the lines on his face smooth and his expression completely relaxed, making him look many years younger and more boyish. After watching Cid and Max for a minute, she decided she hadn't felt this good in a long time. She was happy, content, and she felt loved.

Love? Whoa, easy there, Lockheart. Jumping the gun a little bit there… She shook her head at herself and finally headed out the door and down to her bar.

The next few hours went swiftly, and Cid decided taking care of a baby was actually easier than he thought it would be.

"Not like working with machines, my ass," he muttered as he bathed Max. "Gotta take care of 'em just like machines…they require constant cleaning, attention, fluids…Hell, you even need parts changed every now and then!" He lightly tickled Max's naked tummy and smiled as the little boy squirmed and squealed in delight.

Yeah, changing diapers was one of the most unpleasant experiences Cid had experienced in a while, even worse than dealing with Barret when he drank too much…

But this whole baby thing was definitely not as tough as Tifa made it out to be. It was either that or this baby was just really easy-going.

Nah, it had to be his awesome taking-care-of-babies skills.

It wasn't long until Tifa returned for her three-hour break and sat down to make a help-wanted sign. She took over watching the baby while Cid showered. She was surprised when Cid told her how easy taking care of Max had been, and she thought that maybe she had drastically underestimated the man that was now naked in her shower….

Mmm…Naked Cid…In her shower…

Before her thoughts went too far down that path (read: gutter), she was brought back to reality by a ringing phone. She put Max in his crib and walked out to the living room to pick up the phone.

"Hello?" Tifa said when she answered.

"Tifa? Hey, it's Yuffie," the teenager's voice came over the line, somewhat garbled by static.

"Yuffie! How have you been?" Tifa smiled against the receiver.

"Um, fine, um…Listen, are you going to be around there tonight? I have a favor to ask…"

"What it is? Are you okay?" Tifa was suddenly filled with concern at the very strange tone of her young friend's voice.

"I…don't wanna talk about it over the phone. Are you going to be there tonight?"

"Yeah, of course. Just come to Seventh Heaven, I'll be there."

"'Kay, I'll be there in a few hours. 'Bye Tif." Before she could say goodbye, the dial tone sounded in her ear.

"…That was weird…" Tifa muttered as she replaced the receiver back in its cradle.

"What was weird?" A familiar gruff voice came from behind her.

"Yuffie," she replied without turning around. "She said she has a favor to ask, and she wouldn't tell me what…" She trailed off, not really sure what made her so uneasy.

"Bah!" Cid said, disdain evident in his voice. "That damn kid probably just wants to '_borrow_' your Materia or something."

"I dunno, Cid," Tifa responded slowly. "I can't put my finger on it, but there was something in her voice that said it was something more than that."

"Hmm, well, if you have anything valuable in the bar, I suggest you hide it," he told her, only half-joking. She shook her head and tried to hide her grin, but she knew he was right. Sometimes Yuffie just couldn't help herself. She turned to look at Cid, and found he had donned his jacket and goggles again, but left off his gloves and boots. That was a good sign…He felt comfortable in her home. "You know how Yuff is, she always tries to make herself more mysterious…I think she thinks it makes her seem more impressive or something." He shrugged. "There's not much you can do about it anyway until she tells ya what's goin' on."

"You gotta point there," she admitted. He always had a point, always saw the big picture, which was precisely the reason the rest of the gang had turned to him for leadership when Cloud was swept into the Lifestream a year and some months ago.

"Max asleep in his crib?" Cid asked suddenly.

"Yeah," she replied absently, her gaze not really focusing on anything. He nodded, but continued to stand there with his hands in his pockets, regarding her with curiosity and concern.

"What's up?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry…Just…thinking about…stuff," she said hesitantly, avoiding his gaze.

"Ah…" He regarded her coolly. "That…stuff…can do that to ya." His voice contained hurt and disappointment. He turned and left the living room, heading back down the hall.

Ugh! Why couldn't she just tell him she was thinking about Cloud? And from the way he sounded and the way he left the room…He knew what she was thinking about. She sighed heavily and followed him down the hall and found him in Max's room sitting in the rocking chair and seeming to be lost in thought, one foot resting on his knee as he flipped absently through one of the children's books from the stack on the table. Tifa sat there watching him for a moment, trying to think of something to say.

"…I'm sorry," she said quietly. He looked up at her, his blue eyes still carrying some of his residual disappointment and hurt in them. "What I _should _have said was that I was thinking about…Cloud."

"What about him?" He asked softly.

"You remember when he fell into the Lifestream and got Mako poisoning?"

"Yeah…" Cid nodded and waved a hand impatiently.

"I think even then, even when I felt closer to him then I'd ever felt, I really…We really weren't that close….You know what I mean?" Cid's expression eased and his eyes softened as he nodded again. "He was grateful to me, he was affectionate, but…I don't think his heart was ever…free. I think his heart was always somewhere else…" Cid stood up and crossed the room, stopping to stand in front of her, hands once again jammed in his pockets. "I…didn't make him happy. Not in the same way Aeris did. But I didn't see that then, I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. He was trying to tell me that I wasn't doing anything _wrong_, but that he knew I was trying, but he just couldn't get over her.

"And now, I see that the problem was _him_. I know that you might think that's kind of an obvious answer, but…Anyway, now, I see where he was coming from because I'm in a similar situation…" She paused to look at Cid, but his expression was guarded and closed. She sighed and forced herself to continue. "But the difference of our situations is how the person we loved left. Aeris left because she killed…taken away without getting the chance to say goodbye, without a choice. Cloud left because he wanted to, because he _chose_ to."

Cid looked down at his feet, struggling with his own internal conflict.

"So," he paused and took a shaky breath before continuing. "Where does that leave us?"

"What I'm trying to tell you, Cid, is that because of the way Cloud left, because I know that it was his choice, my heart is free." His head snapped up and his light blue eyes bore into hers, obviously trying to work out her meaning. She took a tentative step closer and touched his forearm lightly, trying to get through to him what she was saying.

"So…You mean, you…"

"Yes, I mean I'm free to…move on completely. To live and be happy and…Love. With you, if you'll let me." His eyes widened at her declaration, and Tifa could see hope shimmering in their icy blue depths. His hand removed itself from his pocket and came up to rub the back of his neck. Then, there was silence. Cid opened his mouth several times as if to say something, but he seemed too overwhelmed to speak. "Say something…?" Tifa whispered worriedly, wondering maybe if she'd said too much too soon.

Had she found happiness only to screw it up royally yet again?

"You…really wanna…be with a shitty old pilot like me?" Cid finally asked. "…Even if I cuss like a fuckin' sailor?" He added, a small grin lighting up his otherwise serious features. She returned his grin, relief flooding through her as she did so.

"That's precisely what I'm sayin', Highwind," she said matter-of-factly. "But just for the record, you're not old." He chuckled a bit at that.

"Well, glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks that," he said. "So…you're not gonna kick my ass if I go around telling people I have _the_ hottest girlfriend on the whole goddamned Planet, are you?" She laughed aloud and flung her arms around her neck, hugging him enthusiastically. Cid hugged her back, squeezing her lightly and kissing her shoulder.

"How do you do that?" Tifa's voice was muffled by his shoulder.

"Do what?" He replied.

"Make me feel so good."

"It's a talent. Right up there with flying, fixing stuff, and taking care of babies." She smiled again and hit him playfully on the shoulder before kissing his jaw line, enjoying the feel of his whiskers against her lips and cheek. Cid pulled back slightly so he could look at Tifa directly when they were interrupted by Max's wail. Tifa looked from the crib to Cid and saw the disappointment that was clearly displayed on his face. "That kid has the shittiest timing ever." He pulled away completely and went over to the crib, gently picking the baby up out of it and holding him close. "You know, he eats like a fuckin' horse."

"So I've noticed," Tifa smirked. The baby's cries stopped almost instantly and turned into small whimpers, and a dejected sigh emitted from Cid. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. She sent him a withering look and he sighed again, this time in resignation. "I just realized you have to go back to work in a few minutes."

"Well, I _will_ be back, you know," she told him somewhat condescendingly.

"Yeah, yeah. So I'm selfish, alright? I like having you around…"

"Good to know." She smiled and moved closer to him. "Don't worry; I'll hire some more people soon so I can spend more time with Max..." Cid gave her a mock glare. "Oh, and you of course," Tifa added teasingly. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips, lingering for a moment or two before stepping back and heading for the door. "Just so ya know...I like having you around, too." She winked at him and headed for the front door.

Tifa Lockheart thought her face was going to fall off soon if she didn't quit smiling so much.

**Pickles, Salvation, and Refills:**

Hours later, Cid seemed to have finally been able satiate the never-ending appetite that was Max Lockheart. The baby fell asleep in Cid's arms and his head lolled onto Cid's shoulder and the pilot had to chuckle at the way the boy nuzzled into his strong shoulder unconsciously. On his way out of the kitchen to lay the baby down in his crib, the door to the apartment opened, and Cid heard the heavy footsteps of someone entering the home.

Oh, shit.

He immediately crouched down low, careful not to jostle Max so he wouldn't wake up. A sleeping baby meant a quiet baby. The closest weapon he could see was a small knife on the kitchen counter next to the baby bottle that Max had just emptied.

"Dammit!" Cid whispered to himself. The footsteps halted suddenly at his quiet outburst.

Oh, double _shit_.

Cid decided that the best way to get himself out of this pickle would be take whoever it was head on. He was never really good at stealth anyway…But then he looked down at Max and realized that he _couldn't_ go head on with the baby in his arms.

But then again, there was something large, cold, and sharp against his throat. Well, there go both of those options.

Triple shit?

Cid chanced a glance upwards, and did a double-take immediately, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"Strife?"

The lights of New Midgar had never seemed so much like salvation to Yuffie Kisaragi as they did at just that moment.

"Thank GAWD, I'm finally here!" She cried out to no one in particular. Her rear end was sore from riding her chocobo for several hours, and she _really_ needed a drink to help her relax. Naturally, and of course because it was her reason for coming here, she made her way through the city to the best bar in all of New Midgar…and quite possibly the whole Planet.

Yuffie was greeted with the sight of Tifa standing behind the bar with a HUGE smile on her face. Weird. Tifa hadn't smiled like that in…well, forever. Actually, she'd NEVER smiled like that. _Ever_. Maybe she got close to this around Cloud, but…Gawd. It was like, she was _happy_.

Very weird.

"Tifa!" Yuffie bounced up to the counter, also with a smile on her face. Tifa's, apparently, was infectious. "What's up?"

"Heya, Yuffie!" Tifa replied enthusiastically. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She looked at Yuffie expectantly, her question obvious in her garnet eyes. Yuffie had always been a little jealous of her eyes…not to mention her expansive bust-size. "So, what's goin' on, Yuff?"

"I should as _you _the same question, Teef," Yuffie told her, dodging the question. "Who's been shinin' rays of sunshine up your skirt?" She asked the question jokingly, but to her surprise, Tifa blushed a deep shade of red. "Whoa, what? There _is_ a 'who'?" Her voice raised in pitch in her excitement at her discovery. "Holy CRAP Tifa!"

"Shh! Calm down!" Tifa's blush was almost purple now and extended down past her collar of her shirt.

"Nyuk nyuk…You have a boyfriend?" Her voice had lowered in decibels, but was far from quiet. "Soooo…Whoisit?" Tifa busied herself with making another drink, and Yuffie was aware that most of the customers in the bar were now listening in on their conversation. Who cares? This is the juiciest gossip Yuffie'd heard since Cloud had left… "Tifa!" If looks could kill, Yuffie would've been dead a long time ago. But now, under Tifa's withering glare, she worried that it might actually be possible. Tifa then ducked her head and dropped her chin to her chest.

Tifa whispered something, but not quite loud enough for anyone to understand what she said. Yuffie shook her head as if to clear her ears.

"Say what? I couldn't hear you…"

Tifa mumbled incoherently again.

"Um, LOUDER?" Tifa leaned in closer.

"It's Cid, alright?" She said louder, yet still quiet enough to keep prying ears from gleaning any information from her statement.

"OHMYGAWD! CID FRICKEN' HIGHWIND!" She stood up from her barstool in her disbelief. Tifa grabbed Yuffie's wrist and yanked her forward so she was forced to support herself on her elbows, her face mere centimeters from Tifa's.

"Will you keep it down!" Tifa's eyes flared with anger and Yuffie could almost swear she saw flames glittering in them.

"Sorry, gawd! You've got an iron-grip, ya know that?" She told her as she wrenched her wrist from Tifa's grasp with a grimace. "Look, they all know now anyway, so it doesn't matter anymore!" She waved a hand to gesture towards their audience, who immediately paid _way_ more attention to their drinks when Tifa looked in their direction.

"Yeah, well…" Tifa stood up straight. "What was it you wanted to talk about, anyway?" She asked testily.

"Um…" Yuffie leaned forward again and said quietly, "My dad found out about Vincent…"

"Oh, no…" Tifa brought a hand up to her mouth in surprise.

"Yeah, no kidding. I just wish he'd stop being so old-fashioned and let me marry whoever I wanted…He's had this crazy-stupid idea that I'm betrothed to this Wutaian guy who's a total geek…"

"Where's Vincent?" Tifa interjected before Yuffie could continue her tirade.

"He's…um…sorta mad at me right now…"

"Why?" Tifa's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I…kinda sorta lied to him and told him I already told my dad about us…And well, when my dad made a big scene about it, he just got all quiet and walked away without saying _anything_."

"Isn't Vincent usually quiet?"

"Not around me, he isn't," Yuffie said simply. "Anyway, I…really don't have anywhere to go, and I'm broke, so I was hoping…"

"Perfect!" Tifa exclaimed as she clapped her hands together.

"Um, what?" Yuffie asked, more than a little offended. "How is this _perfect_?"

"Sorry, it's just…" Tifa paused. "Look, I need some help running the bar, and you'd be perfect. Customers love you, you can mix drinks, cook food, and you're cute, which is always a bonus." Yuffie opened her mouth to speak, but Tifa continued before she could get a word in edge-wise. "That way, you can earn some money AND have a place to stay."

"You mean, you'd let me stay with you?" Yuffie's mouth hung open in shock.

"Well, you'd have to stay on the couch since my second room's occupied…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Cid's _living_ with you? Ewwwww…" She cringed.

"Well, he's not the one who's living in the second bedroom…" Yuffie made another face, pretending to vomit. "Look, I'll explain later. You don't have to stay there for very long, just until you get enough money together to rent out your own apartment. I can get you in with my landlord and get you a deal."

"Thank you so much, Tifa!" Yuffie hopped up and down. "Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk…I'll be the best barista _ever_!" She looked over at Tifa. "Well, besides you, of course," she added, offering Tifa an apologetic smile. Tifa just shook her head and smiled.

"I'm glad I could help," she said. Suddenly, Tifa got a mischievous glint in her eyes and the smile on her face turned into a smirk. "In fact, you can start right away!" Tifa pulled Yuffie behind the bar and then stood on the customer side. "There, see? Perfect!" She held her hands out to her and waved her arms up and down. "You'll be great." Yuffie just stared back at her stupidly.

"Um…"

"You work until two a.m. tonight. Have fun!" Tifa grinned and turned on her heel to walk out of the bar, leaving behind Yuffie to fend for herself. Well, Tifa was _definitely _much happier then the last time Yuffie'd seen her. That old pilot must really be just what the doctor ordered.

"Oh. My. Gawd." Yuffie looked around at all the expectant faces of the people who'd suddenly become her patrons. She sighed deeply, drawing up her courage. A flash of Vincent's ember eyes popped into her head, the way he looked at her during one of their tender moments…

"So," Yuffie called out. "Who needs a refill?"


	4. Her Strength

**Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic! Don't get your panties all in a bunch about me borrowing the characters and messing around with them either. I'll put 'em back when I'm done with them. Honest.**

**Title: Her Constant**

**Author: DragonChaos**

**Feedback: Sure! And a big thank you to the reviewers who encouraged me to write additional chapters, you are all responsible for the continuation of this story. This chapter was harder for me to write because I was unsure as to where I wanted it to go, but my Muse helped me out a bit there. Be sure to review if you want to get more of the story!**

**Chapter Summary: Cloud causes some trouble, Yuffie gets drunk, Tifa surprises Cid with some an interesting tidbit of information.**

**Chapter 4: Her Strength**

**Unwanted Guests:**

"Strife, what the _hell_ are you doin' here?" Cid blatantly ignored the hand that Cloud held out to him and pushed himself up from his kneeling position, Max still cradled in his left arm. Now that he was at eye level with the ex-SOLDIER, Cid fixed him with an icy glare, which Cloud returned with an unblinking, unflinching eerie Mako stare. "You got some nerve showin' up here…"

"I'm here because this is my house," Cloud said abruptly. "I can come and go as I please, and the _last_ person I need to explain it to is…" Max suddenly started crying the men's harsh exchange, his face going pink and scrunched. "And why the hell are you holding a baby, Highwind?"

"None of your goddamn business!" Cid said through clenched teeth. Seething and fighting a very strong urge to pound spiky punk senseless, he pushed past the younger man, hitting him roughly in the shoulder as he went by and earning himself an angry green-blue glare.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" Cloud called to Cid's retreating back. The pilot froze in his tracks, his spine visibly stiffening, his whole body going rigid with obvious restraint. Max was now screaming, his little fists flailing about helplessly and angrily. "This is _my_ house, you know."

"_Your_ house?" Cid responded. "The last time I checked, this ain't your fuckin' house."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah," he continued, turning to face Cloud. "It's Tifa's."

"Yeah, well, I went and talked to the landlord today, and he told me my name's still on the lease." Cid stared unbelievingly back at the younger man, suddenly desperately wishing he had a cigarette between his lips. He hadn't felt the urge to feed his nicotine habit even once since he'd stepped inside Tifa's home, which was some kind of record for the chain-smoking pilot.

And now that Cloud was back, Cid felt like he needed to smoke a whole goddamn pack. Maybe even two.

"Will you shut that goddamn kid up!" Cloud winced and pointed to Max with a black leather-clad hand as the screaming continued to rise in pitch and volume.

"That 'goddamn kid' is my son!" A familiar voice came from the doorway, immediately silencing Max and any retort Cid was about to make. Cid turned and felt a wave of relief pass through him when he saw Tifa standing in the doorway, her fists clenched and eyes blazing. He tried to catch her eye, but decided against it when he saw the grim determination in her expression, her jaw clenched.

Oh, Strife was _so_ in for it now.

--------------------

Tifa fought the desire to use Cloud as a punching bag as she clenched and unclenched her fists rhythmically. She felt Cid's eyes on her but refused to look at him, feeling as though this was something she had to do on her own and by looking at him she would be asking him for help. Cloud was the first to break the ringing silence that remained after she'd made her entrance.

"Hello, Tifa." He took a step forward as though trying to bridge the gap between them.

Clench.

"Hello, Cloud," she replied. "What brings you to the neighborhood?" At her icy tone, Cloud paused in his approach mid-step.

Unclench.

"Needed to check up on some things," he told her, his lips turning up in a malicious grin as he gestured towards Max. "So, Highwind knocked ya up?"

_Clench!_

Tifa's eyes snapped to Cid instantly, only to see him give her a nearly imperceptible shake of his head, silently telling her to not take the bait.

Her knuckles turned white.

"Why would that matter to you? What I do with my personal life is none of your business." On that, Tifa closed the front door and took Max from Cid, finally looking Cid in the eye and giving him what she hoped was a reassuring look. "Oh, by the way Cloud, as for this still 'being your house'…" She turned her full attention to Cloud and squared her shoulders as she clutched Max to her side. "You don't have a room anymore. My _goddamn kid_ took over your room. I suggest you go find other lodging." Tifa didn't miss the smirk that passed over Cid's face as the words left her mouth, nor did she miss the look of shock that quickly passed over Cloud's features before he hastily covered it up with his trademark impassive stare. Tifa kissed Max on his bald head and turned away from the two blondes and headed down the hallway. "Oh, and I'm removing you from the lease tomorrow morning, first thing, so can you get the rest of your shit outta my house?" She called over her shoulder as she went into the nursery to put Max to bed, not waiting to listen for an answer from the incensed ex-SOLDIER.

After a few moments of silence from the living room, Tifa heard Cid's gruff timbre as he spoke, his wicked smile obvious in his voice.

"It's gonna be my boot or the door that hits your ass on the way out, Strife; either way, I'm gonna enjoy it."

Silence, then the sound of heavy footsteps moving across the wooden floor and the sound of the front door swinging open and closed came as a response.

--------------------

"So, cutie, how long you gonna be workin' 'ere?"

Yuffie rolled her eyes for the billionth time that night, wondering exasperatingly how the hell Tifa put up with this every single night. Damn annoying dirty old drunk men.

"Oh, I don't know," she replied with the biggest fake smile she could muster. "A little while at least."

"Maybe I could make your _little while_ here a little more pleasant…" The lewd look the smelly man was gave her a feeling similar to that of when she rode the Highwind.

"How about _not_," she interjected before he could say more. His expression drooped and he sullenly went back to nursing his drink.

Did this guy not realize who she was? She was one of the Heroes, for Planet's sake. Yuffie sighed loudly.

How could Tifa leave her here like this?

"Gawd!" She slammed her hand down on the counter, making glasses rattle and heads turn. She didn't care. She was tired, and she was sure that Tifa was up doing things with that old pilot that would make a dog throw up. Yuffie shuddered at the thought, and shrugged it off as she knelt down to pull out another bottle of brandy, wrinkling her nose at the stuff. Definitely not her drink of choice, but it apparently was for the only customer who'd been decent to her all night, so she had no problem putting up with her distaste so she could pour him another glass.

There was a loud bang and Yuffie shot back up into her defensive position and froze, her eyes falling on a figure standing in the wide open doorway. The entire bar went completely silent save for the sound of the door banging against the wall as it swung freely on its hinges, and all eyes turned to the newcomer. Her gaze took in the giant sword on his back and his piercing creepy green eyes.

"Aw, crap!" she muttered under her breath. Those same eerie eyes narrowed and focused on her, making Yuffie's blood run cold. He advanced towards her with menacing purpose.

Could this night get any worse?

**Making Tea, the Strife Inquisition, and Drunken Ninjas:**

"You okay?" Cid's voice drew Tifa out of her inner thoughts. Max had thankfully fallen asleep as she needed some time to collect her thoughts after her sudden encounter with the man who had haunted her life for so long.

"Not yet," she replied quietly. She watched the infant while he slept, how his nose wriggled ever so slightly every now and then, how he gummed his little hands subconsciously. The innocent scene pulled at her heartstrings. "But I will be." She felt two warm, strong hands on her shoulders, gently massaging away some of the tension that had built up there. She leaned into his ministrations, grateful for his nonverbal encouragement. She really didn't feel like answering a bunch of questions right now. She turned her body slightly so she could look at his face over her shoulder. She felt so much stronger when she knew she had his support.

"Come on, I'll make us some tea." His hands left her shoulders and he tugged on her hand, pulling her out of the room.

"You know how to make tea?" She gasped mockingly, her free hand coming up to her mouth dramatically, feigning shock.

"Yeah, yeah," Cid said as he shook his head, a ghost of a smile touching his lips. "First you say I can't handle babies and now you don't believe me when I say I can make some goddamn tea. You're O for two now, Lockheart. You best start believin' me when I say I can do somethin'." His tone was light, but Tifa could hear some serious undercurrent just below the surface. Tifa halted and held her grip on his hand firm, forcing him to stop with her. Cid turned to look at her, his puzzlement evident on his face.

"I _do_ believe you." She squeezed his hand to emphasize her point. "And I believe _in_ you. Don't ever doubt that, okay?" He stared back unresponsive at her for a moment, emotions swirling in his sky blue eyes. He then scratched the back of his neck and opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words died before they could pass his lips. "Okay?" Tifa prompted. This time, there was an immediate response.

"Yeah."

"Good, now about that tea…" She was silenced by a shoulder that her face was suddenly being pressed against, her words lost in the worn fabric of Cid's blue pilot jacket. She smiled against him and hugged him back, nuzzling into his nape. He kissed her on the top of her head, and pressed her to him once again before releasing her and holding her at arm's length with his hands on her shoulders. They stayed that way for a while, just staring at each other, each trying to convey to the other what words could never express.

Tifa lost herself in his eyes, their churning depths appearing to be endless. He returned her gaze with an impossibly intense expression, one of so many emotions she couldn't describe it.

"Tifa…" Cid's voice trailed off.

"Yes?" Tifa whispered.

"I…I think I…" He stopped again, took a deep breath, and looked down at his feet. Tifa tingled all over, sensing that he was about to reveal something important.

"Yes?" Tifa prompted again, her voice stronger.

"I think…" He looked back up at her, his eyes unreadable. "I need to go make that tea, now." He turned abruptly and walked down the hall to the kitchen, leaving Tifa dumbfounded.

"Tea?" Tifa shook her head, as though trying to clear her ears.

She followed him to the kitchen, still a little dazed, and stopped in the entryway to watch him while he went about putting water into a teapot and setting it on the stove to heat up. She smiled to herself knowingly.

Tea it is, then.

--------------------

"Yuffie, I suggest you give me some answers before I get _really_ angry."

Yuffie stood her ground behind the bar, the only thing between her and a pissed off Cloud.

"You know about as much as I do, Strife, gawd!" She returned, her dark brown eyes smoldering. "I just came here tonight and it's the first time I've talked to Tifa in a while!" She waved her arms around emphatically, as though doing that would prove to Cloud that she was telling the truth. "Besides, you don't deserve Tifa, you sonoffabi…."

The spiky-haired blonde brought down a fist, causing tremors in the wooden planks of the floor and frightening away what was left of the customers.

Oh, Tifa was _not_ going to be happy about this…

"So you don't know that Tifa's got a kid?" Strife demanded, his eyes glittering dangerously. Yuffie's jaw dropped, her eyes going wide.

"Wh-what?" She stammered, her mind reeling.

_He's not the one living in the second bedroom…_

Is _that_ what Tifa had meant?

"She. Has. A. Kid," Cloud said slowly, as though she were five years-old. "And when I walked in, Cid was holding it."

Oh, gawd. But, Tifa wasn't pregnant the last time Yuffie saw her, and that was a few months ago. Maybe it was Cid's kid?

"He was probably just babysitting, Cloud," Yuffie managed to say nonchalantly. "Don't get yer panties all in a twist." At this, Cloud straightened to his full height, and while he wasn't that tall, he was still intimidating.

Intimidating even to a ninja as proud as Yuffie.

"So who's the father?"

"I don't know, why don't you try asking her?"

"I already did, she said it was none of my business."

"Then it's none of your business." Yuffie looked him straight in the eye. This was _not _the Cloud she used to know. The old Cloud could be a bit of an ass sometimes, but this was borderline crazy control freak. He'd definitely changed for the worse in his year of traveling the Planet. "Look, in case you haven't notice, you scared away all my customers, so I'd like to close up for the night." She gestured past him to the door, making it clear she wanted him to leave.

With one last glowing glare that contained a hint of regret, he stalked out of the bar into the cold, dark night.

Yuffie sighed and crouched down behind the counter, looking for something.

"Aha!" She cried out triumphantly when she pulled out a bottle of whiskey. She pulled the cork out with a loud _pop!_ and poured herself a glass while still sitting on the floor behind the bar.

After that conversation, Yuffie needed to get drunk.

Very, _very_ drunk.

--------------------

"I wonder how Yuffie's doing?" Cid heard Tifa murmur when she glanced at the clock. He and Tifa sat in her living room on her red couch, drinking the tea he'd made for them. Tifa was sitting so she was facing Cid, her legs tucked underneath her and her arm draped over the back of the couch, and he was sitting in a similar position, one leg crossed in front of him while the other hung over the front of the couch.

"Hm?" Cid replied as he sipped some tea, looking at her over the rim of his cup.

"I put Yuffie in charge of the bar so I could come back early…" Cid coughed violently and spat back out some of the tea he'd been drinking.

"You did _what!_" The pilot stared at the woman before him as though she'd grown a second head.

"She can handle it, Cid," Tifa said defensively, shooting him a few daggers before calmly drinking some more tea.

"Oh, she can _handle_ it all right," he told her, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "She'll _handle_ everything valuable in that bar…"

"She wouldn't steal from me!" Tifa exclaimed, her pitch and volume rising. "She came here tonight for help, and I don't doubt her sincerity or her friendship!" She slammed her cup down on the coffee table, causing the dark brown liquid to slosh over the side onto the wooden surface. Cid blinked in surprise at her outburst.

Way to go, Highwind. She's already had a shitty night and you go an' make it worse.

"What did she need help with?" He asked cautiously, hoping his tone sounded neutral.

"She had an argument with her father about her relationship with Vincent and he apparently kicked her out," Tifa said, somewhat more subdued than moments before.

"What about Vince?"

"Well, Yuffie'd told Vincent that she'd already talked with her father about what was going on and when he found out Yuffie'd lied to him, he left without a word." Cid nodded in understanding.

"Sounds like something he'd do." He reached over and tentatively put his hand over hers, giving her an apologetic grin. "Look, I'm sorry I was an ass, okay? Yuffie just…gets on my nerves sometimes."

"And I'm sorry I jumped on you." She smiled back, but blushed when she realized what she'd said.

"Now, if you'd jumped _on _me, there'd be nothin' to apologize for," he told her as he waggled his eyebrows at her, a playful grin on his face. She turned even redder and looked down at their hands that were resting in her lap. "But that, unfortunately, was not the case, now was it?" He let out a dramatic sigh, eliciting a giggle from his beautiful companion. "So are we okay?" He asked seriously, his free hand coming up under her chin so he could look her in the eye.

"Yes, we're okay," she responded. She leaned in and gave him a swift kiss on the lips before standing up and picking up her nearly empty teacup. "I think I'm going to go check on Yuffie. Would you like to come with me? We could bring Max down and introduce him to her."

"Sounds good ta me."

--------------------

On their way down the stairs to the bar, Cid discovered that he enjoyed watching Tifa walk _way_ too much. She was holding Max over her shoulder, the little tyke's cheek resting against her collarbone, his eyes shut and lips parted ever so slightly. While that was cute, Cid couldn't help but be mesmerized by the way Tifa's hips gently swayed as she walked. What he liked even better was when he walked next to her and she let him put an arm around her waist, resting his hand just above her hip. He then felt her shift Max so her arm was free to wrap around his waist.

Sweet.

"Do you mind if I have a smoke, Tif?" Cid asked as they reached the door to Seventh Heaven. He expected a reproachful look, but instead she just gave him a curious one. "I mean outside while you go in and talk with Yuffie." The barmaid shrugged and smiled, giving him a nod as she went inside.

Cid pulled out a cigarette from the box he had tucked into his goggles and lit it, the orange light from the burning tobacco lighting up his features in the darkness just for a moment before it faded into a soft glow.

Ah, nicotine.

He gazed up at the stars that shone brightly in the velvet sky, the smoke from his cigarette drifting up towards the heavens.

Cid needed a moment alone to collect himself after the past day and a half. He'd been so out of sorts that he'd nearly broken down and told Tifa…something…that neither he nor Tifa were really ready for yet. And, to top it all off, he'd almost told her just after Cloud had come by and made a mess of things.

Smooth, Highwind. Really smooth.

He took another drag on his cigarette, considering what he should do next. He and Tifa had already worked out that they were an item, so to speak. They were _together_. He found it somewhat odd that he wasn't bothered by Max's presence. Before, he'd never really been comfortable around kids, but this was different. He liked this feeling of responsibility he had, the feeling of someone depending on you for everything. It was a very fulfilling feeling. But he still felt he had to keep his distance. What if things didn't work out? He didn't want the poor kid thinking Cid was his dad only to watch Cid leave if he and Tifa ever had irreconcilable differences. That just wouldn't be fair.

No, for now, he'd be Uncle Cid. He'd just follow Tifa's lead as to what his role in Max's life should be otherwise.

"Cid!" Tifa's anxious voice came through the thick wooden doors. "Cid, I need your help in here!" He threw his half-smoked cigarette on the ground and scrunched it with the toe of his boot before heading inside. He was greeted by the site of the profile of Tifa's bottom peeking out from behind the bar. Cid cleared his throat.

"Whatcha need my help with?" His voice cracked and he resisted the urge to smack himself in the forehead.

"Come here!" Her hand came up over the bar and waved to him. He did as he was told, coming up behind Tifa as she rose to her feet. "This isn't good," she said as she pointed to where a crumpled figure lay amongst several bottles that looked as though they used to contain whiskey. Cid squinted and leaned in closer.

"Hey-hic! old man…" The voice was slurred, but sounded vaguely familiar. "How'sh it hangin'? Nyuk, nyuk-hic, nyuk!"  
"Yuffie!" Cid exclaimed. "What the hell…?"

"I had a nicesh liddle chat-hic! with Shtrife not too long ago, old man," Yuffie rambled on. "He'sh a real jerk, ya know-hic! that?" Cid agreed with the drunken ninja, but kept wisely silent, not wishing to upset Tifa any further than she already had been.

"Come on, kid, let's get you somewhere more comfortable," Cid grunted as he picked her up to carry her in his arms, noting that she weighed a lot more than she looked. "Goddamn, Yuff, you drink the whole fuckin' ocean!" He breathed out in a huff.

"I had four bottlesh-hic! of whishkey…" At this point, Yuffie started gurgling slightly, causing the pilot some uneasiness. Tifa continued to look on worriedly, Max safely secured on her shoulder as he was before.

"Wow, four bottles?" Cid decided it was best to keep talking to her to keep her conscious, at least until he got her to the couch in Tifa's apartment. "You must really like your whiskey, Yuff." He shook her slightly to wake her up a little as they went outside and made their way back around the building and up the stairs. "Didn't know you drank that stuff."

"I don't, but it-hic! getsh me drunk real quick…" Her head lolled to one side and settled against Cid's shoulder, and she began muttering unintelligibly and nuzzling against his jacket, making him slightly uncomfortable.

Damn ninjas can apparently have their cute moments, too.

**Envy, Desire, and Tidbits:**

Tifa opened the door to her apartment for Cid and he marched directly into the living room. He laid Yuffie on the couch and covered her with some woven blankets that had been placed nearby. Tifa went to the bathroom and returned with a waste pail. It was set right by Yuffie's head so all she had to do was roll over a little, just in case.

"Now, I guess we let her sleep it off, eh?" Cid said quietly as he double-checked the sleeping arrangements.

"Yeah," Tifa responded in a hushed voice. "I kind of envy her." Cid barely heard her last statement. He was unsure as to whether he should respond to it, but he decided to go for it and cocked his head to one side as he spoke.

"Why's that?" She looked up at him in shock, as though she were surprised he'd actually heard her. He moved closer to her unconsciously and took her hand in his. She blushed but held his gaze, her eyes betraying her uncertainty.

God, she was beautiful when she looked that vulnerable. And she would _so_ kick your ass right now if you told her that, Highwind.

"She got to feel what it was like to be held by you like that," Tifa whispered, her words barely audible.

"I doubt she'll remember that in the morning, Teef," he told her matter-of-factly. She dropped her gaze and Cid knew he'd said the wrong thing.

Open mouth, insert boot.

Well, there was one way he knew to make it up to her; he scooped her up into his arms and hugged her close to him, her expression melting from fear at the sudden action to happy and excited. There was something else in her eyes, too, that made Cid shudder.

Desire. Well, there was fear, too, but there was definitely a large amount of undeniable desire was waiting in the depths of her garnet eyes, and he couldn't even begin to fathom how deep her feelings ran.

"There, how's that?" His voice was almost a growl it was so low. She smiled timidly at him and nodded.

"I like this," she murmured, her warm breath tickling his neck and making him shiver with goose bumps. "Aren't you going to carry me somewhere?" She asked, somewhat shyly but with a hint of coyness in her voice.

"Where shall I take you madam?" Cid responded lightly, his fake dignified accent causing Tifa to snigger slightly before she managed a reply.

"Why, to the bedroom, good sir!" She pointed dramatically towards the hallway and more giggles escaped and Cid's grin grew bigger. He took a few steps in the direction she'd told him to go, but he faltered a bit when he realized the implications of her words.

She wants to be carried over the threshold into her bedroom.

…Ho boy.

Cid looked down and realized she was staring at him, waiting patiently without saying a word. He gave her a small smile and began heading towards the bedroom again.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, you know." Tifa's words broke through his thoughts like a bulldozer crashing through a brick wall, but he didn't stop walking. He blinked at her a few times while he processed this information.

"I want to," he informed her bluntly. "But it will change everything, and I don't know if you're ready…fuck, I don't even know if _I'm_ ready."

"It is a bit sudden, isn't it?" She gazed thoughtfully up at him, but she didn't seem bothered by the prospect. They reached the bed and he set her down on her feet, her body sliding down his slowly and deliberately as she brushed against his groin, causing him to let a low groan escape his lips.

Well, Highwind, at least now she knows just _how_ much you want to.

He stared at her face for a few seconds, pondering her expression and trying to work out what was going through her mind, but then he couldn't wait anymore; Cid bent over and kissed her, long and hard, pushing his tongue past her open lips and invading the sweet corners of her mouth, determined to affix her taste firmly in his memory. Tifa responded instantly, mimicking his actions and equaling his passion with her own. She moaned softly into his mouth, which only sent more sparks of pleasure down to his loins.

Cid felt her hands slide underneath his jacket onto the soft cotton of his undershirt and the planes of his chest, her fingers gently massaging his pectorals. Gently, she pushed off his pilot jacket and ran her hands up to his nape, lightly scratching where his light blonde hair met his neck. He shuddered in response, his own hands doing their own exploring of her body, first gripping her hips and holding her closer to him, then slowly making their way north to her breasts. Cid kneaded the soft flesh he found there, receiving inexorable pleasure from the gasp she released into his mouth when he did so. He smiled against her lips and she smiled back, all fears and doubts gone within this one moment.

He pulled back for a moment to gaze at her, loving her passion-glazed eyes and dilated pupils.

"Tifa, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he said slowly, leaning in to kiss her on the forehead and giving her a hug. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure she was real, to make sure that this wasn't all a dream.

"Cid, I…need to tell you something before we keep going…" He pulled away again so he could look at her, and what he saw in her fearful expression brought back all the previous doubts and concerns he'd had before.

"What's wrong?" He asked, the worry evident in his voice.

"Nothing's wrong, per se, it's just that…" She looked down at his stomach and her voice level dropped several notches. "I'm a virgin." Cid froze.

Well, _that_ was an interesting tidbit of information.

"A…virgin?" He repeated, wanting to make sure he'd heard her right. She nodded mutely, her cheeks tinged with that familiar pink she seemed to get a lot these days. "Hey," he said softly as he lifted her chin up so she'd look at him. "It's okay if you're scared, Teef. This doesn't have to go any farther if you don't want it to." He gave a reassuring half-smile, and she smiled hesitantly back. She reached up and took off his goggles, placing them gently on the end table next to the bed.

"No, I want to keep going, I just…wanted you to know so you'd be…gentle with me," she told him, her voice quavering ever so slightly.

"I can do that," he whispered. He placed his lips on hers, kissing her deeply as he wound his arms around her waist.

Cid couldn't help the surge of possessiveness that came over him:

She was all _his_.

He laid her back onto the bed and stretched himself out over her, the feel of her beneath him ecstasy in his book.

They kissed again and time became meaningless to both of them as they engaged in the oldest ritual of lovers in all of history: the art of making love.


End file.
